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Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:1-2
In this message we shall consider verses 1 and 2 of chapter two.
In 2:1 John says, “My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” By using the expression “my little children” John was addressing all the believers regardless of age. The Greek word rendered “children” is teknia, plural of teknion, little child, diminutive of teknon, child, a word often used in addresses from elder to younger persons. “It is a term of parental affection. It applies to Christians irrespective of growth. Used in 1 John 2:12, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21; John 13:33; Gal. 4:19” (Darby). The aged apostle considered all the recipients of his Epistle his dear little children in the Lord. In verses 13-27 he classified them into three groups: young children, young men, and fathers. Hence, verses 1-12 and 28-29 are addressed to all the recipients in general; verses 13-27 are addressed to the three groups respectively according to their growth in the divine life.
In 2:1 John tells the little children that he writes “these things” to them. These are the things mentioned in 1:5-10 regarding the committing of sin by the children of God, the regenerated believers, who have the divine life and participate in its fellowship (1 John 2:1:1-4).
John tells the recipients of this Epistle that he writes to them that they “may not sin.” These words and the words “if anyone sins” in the following sentence indicate that the regenerated believers may still sin. Though they possess the divine life, it is still possible for them to sin if they do not live by the divine life and abide in its fellowship. In Greek the word “sins” here is an aorist subjunctive and denotes a single act, not habitual action.
In the words “that you may not sin” we see John’s intention in what he writes concerning sin, the confessing of sins, and the receiving of God’s forgiveness and cleansing. John’s intention, his purpose, was that we would not sin. As he indicates in chapter one, if we sin, our fellowship with the Father will be broken. If we would maintain this fellowship, we need to keep ourselves from sinning. This is the main purpose of what John writes in chapter one of this Epistle.
In chapter one John shows us that we have received the divine life and that this life has brought us into the divine fellowship. In the divine fellowship we receive light, and now we should walk in the light as God is in the light (1:5,7). However, we need to realize that we still have the problem of indwelling sin, and regarding this sin we need to be on the alert. Even after our regeneration, the sin that came into the human race through Adam remains in our flesh. Although our spirit has been regenerated, God’s life has been imparted into our spirit, and God’s Spirit dwells in our spirit, nevertheless sin continues to dwell in our flesh. We need to admit the fact that we have dwelling in our flesh the sin that came into mankind through Adam. We also need to be on guard lest we commit sins. If we are not on the alert, we shall sin, and our sins will interrupt our fellowship with God. As a result of the breaking of our fellowship with Him, we shall lose the enjoyment of the divine life.
We may say that in chapter one we have a warning, a reminder, and a charge concerning our need to be on the alert. Yes, we have received the divine life, and the divine life is now our enjoyment, issuing in the fellowship with the Triune God. This is wonderful! But we need to realize that there is still the problem of indwelling sin. Because sin dwells in our flesh, there is always the possibility that our enjoyment of the divine life may be interrupted through the committing of sin.
If we do not realize that sin still dwells in our flesh but instead are deceived regarding this matter, we shall certainly sin. Then we shall lose the enjoyment of the divine life. Therefore, if we would remain in the enjoyment of the divine life and in the fellowship of the divine life, we need to realize that we have sin in our flesh and that sin is crouching, waiting for the opportunity to damage us, break our fellowship with the Triune God, and keep us from the enjoyment of the divine life received through regeneration.
Now we can see John’s purpose in writing chapter one. Because he did not want the believers to lose the enjoyment of the divine life, he told them in 2:1, “I write to you that you may not sin.” This was John’s intention and also his expectation. Moreover, this word is also a warning and a reminder concerning the committing of sin.
In 2:1 John says, “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” John did not have the confidence that the believers would always be able to keep themselves from sinning. He knew that even though we may be alert concerning the sin that dwells in our flesh, we may still sin. Therefore, he tells us that if we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.
The Greek word rendered Advocate is parakletos, and it denotes one who is called to another’s side to aid him, hence, a helper; one who offers legal aid or one who intercedes on behalf of someone else, hence, an advocate, counsel, or intercessor. The word denotes consoling and consolation, hence, a consoler, a comforter. Paraclete is its anglicized form. This word is used in the Gospel of John (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) for the Spirit of reality as our Comforter within us, caring for our cause or affairs. It is used here for the Lord Jesus as our Advocate with the Father, the One who cares for our case, intercedes on our behalf (Rom. 8:34), and pleads for us if we sin. This interceding and pleading is based upon His propitiation.
In chapter one John speaks concerning the redeeming blood of Christ that constantly cleanses us as we walk in the light. But in this verse John goes further to show us a Person, who is our Advocate with the Father. Hence, in the divine provision we have the blood of Christ and also the Person of Christ as our Advocate.
As we have seen, “Advocate” is a translation of the Greek word parakletos. This word is formed of two words: the preposition para (used here as a prefix) and the word kletos. Put together, these words denote someone called to our side. The Greek word parakletos is used in the New Testament only by John. In his Gospel John says, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may be with you forever” (14:16). This indicates that while the Lord was with the disciples, one parakletos, one Comforter, was there with them. But this parakletos was about to leave. Thus, there was the need for another parakletos, another Comforter, to come. Actually, the first parakletos and the other parakletos are one. The One who is called “another Comforter” is now in us as the life-giving Spirit, and the One who was the first Comforter, the Lord Jesus Christ, is now in the heavens at the right hand of God.
We may use electricity as an illustration of these two Comforters. On the one hand, electricity is in the power plant. On the other hand, electricity has been installed into our homes. We may say, therefore, that with electricity there are two ends: one end in the power plant and the other end in our homes. As the electricity flows from the power plant, where it is stored, to our homes, where it is applied, these two ends are connected. We may compare the electricity in the power plant to the Comforter, the Lord Jesus, in the heavens, and the electricity in our homes to the other Comforter, the life-giving Spirit in our spirit. In the heavens we have the Lord Jesus Christ as our Comforter, and in our spirit we have the Spirit as another Comforter. However, these two are one. For this reason, the Greek word parakletos is used for both the Comforter in the heavens and the Comforter in our spirit.
In the Recovery Version we translate parakletos as Comforter in John 14:16 and as Advocate in 1 John 2:1. In John 14:26 and 15:26 this Greek word is also translated Comforter. Comforter is an appropriate translation of parakletos in John 14:16, for in this verse there is a certain feeling that this Paraclete comes to comfort the disciples in their sorrow caused by the Lord’s leaving them. The Lord had told His disciples that He was leaving, and they were troubled by this. Therefore, in this chapter the Lord indicated to the disciples that they did not need to be sorrowful, for He would ask the Father to send them another Paraclete, another Comforter. Because the troubled disciples were in need of comfort, it is correct to render parakletos in John 14:26 as Comforter. This Greek word does imply the thought of comfort; it refers to one who helps us, serves us, stands by us, and goes along with us. Such a one surely is a comforter.
It is also correct to translate parakletos in 1 John 2:1 as Advocate. According to the usage in ancient times, this Greek word may refer to a person who functions as an attorney, a legal advocate. The situation in 1 John 2:1 is different from that in John 14:16 it is a situation that requires an advocate or attorney. However, the word “attorney” does not seem fitting to use in the actual translation of the Word. Therefore, after much consideration, we selected the word Advocate.
The Advocate in 2:1 is actually a spiritual attorney. This parakletos stands beside us, like a nurse caring for us, and serves us. The parakletos is also a counselor. At school the students have a counselor to help them choose the right courses. Our parakletos also helps us in making choices. In his translation of 1 John 2:1 J. N. Darby uses the word “patron.” In his note he explains that the word patron is used in the sense of a Roman patron, who maintained the interest of his client in every way. One function of a Roman patron was much like that of an attorney today. When we are in a particular kind of situation, we may give the entire matter over into the hands of an attorney. The attorney then takes care of our case. This is the function of our Advocate in 2:1.
Parakletos is an all-inclusive word. It implies the thought of helping and nourishing, the thought of counseling, and also the thought of consoling. It includes the concept of an advocate, an attorney, who takes care of our case.
John tells us in 2:1 that we have an Advocate with the Father. The phrase “with the Father” is used also in 1:2. In each case the Greek word translated “with” is pros, with the accusative, a preposition of motion, implying living, acting, in union and communion with. The Lord Jesus as our Advocate is living in communion with the Father.
John’s use of Father as the divine title here indicates that our case, which the Lord Jesus as our Advocate undertakes for us, is a family affair, a case between children and the Father. Through regeneration we have been born children of God. After regeneration, in case we sin, it is a matter of children sinning against their Father. Our Advocate, who is our propitiation, undertakes for our sinning to restore our interrupted fellowship with the Father so that we may abide in the enjoyment of the divine fellowship.
In the past I wondered why John told us that we have an Advocate with the Father. An advocate is someone involved in cases of law. We can easily see why we may need an advocate, an attorney, with the judge in a court of law. But why do we need an advocate with our Father? The answer to this question is that the “case” of our sins after regeneration is a matter involving the Father and the family “law court.” Whenever we sin, we offend our Father. Our judge, therefore, is a Father-judge, our court is our spiritual home, and our case is a family matter. But we do have a member of our family, our elder Brother, the Lord Jesus, who is our Advocate with the Father. As our Advocate, our elder Brother takes our case. This is the reason John does not say that we have an Advocate with God, but says that we have an Advocate with the Father.
A child may have the mistaken idea that because his father loves him, he can do anything he wants at home with his family. Of course, this is not the case. Although our Father loves us, any sins we commit are an offense against Him. Yes, God is our Father. But if we sin, He will have a case against us. Therefore, in our spiritual family we sometimes need an Advocate.
In this verse we have two important titles — Advocate and Father. The title Father indicates that we are in the divine family enjoying the Father’s love. The title Advocate indicates that we may be wrong in certain matters and need someone to take our case. Hence, in family life we need our elder Brother to be our Advocate who takes our case.
The truth in the Bible is always presented in a balanced way. The truth in this verse is also balanced. On the one hand, the title Father is a sign of love; on the other hand, the title Advocate is a sign of righteousness. For example, a father loves his child. But if the child misbehaves, the father will have a case against him, a case based on righteousness. Although the child is still loved by his father and will continue to be taken care of by him, the father has a case against the child and may need to discipline him. In a similar way, whenever we sin, the Father has a case against us. Therefore, we need a heavenly attorney. We need Jesus Christ, our elder Brother, to be our Advocate.
We have emphasized the fact that Christ is our Advocate with the Father. Please notice that John does not say that we have an Advocate with God, or that we have the Son with the Father. Rather, he tells us that if we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.
According to John’s word in 2:1 our Advocate with the Father is Jesus Christ the Righteous. Our Lord Jesus is the only righteous Man among all men. His righteous act (Rom. 5:18) on the cross fulfilled the righteous requirement of the righteous God for us and all sinners. Only He is qualified to be our Advocate to care for us in our sinning condition and restore us to a righteous condition so that our Father, who is righteous, may be appeased.
Instead of saying “Jesus Christ the Righteous,” we may say “Jesus Christ, the right One.” Jesus Christ certainly is the One who is right, the right One, and only this right One can be our Advocate with the Father. The reason we have a problem and the Father has a case against us is that we are the wrong ones. Because we are the ones who are wrong, we need the righteous One to take care of our case.
In 2:2 John goes on to say, “And He is a propitiation concerning our sins, and not concerning ours only, but also concerning the whole world.” The Greek word for propitiation here and in 4:10 is hilasmos. In 1:7 we have the blood of Jesus; in 2:1 the Person of Christ as our Advocate; and now, in 2:2 we have Christ as a propitiation concerning our sins. Our Advocate, who shed His blood for the cleansing of our sins, is our propitiation. This word “propitiation” indicates appeasing or peacemaking. When a child is wrong and his father has a case against him, there is no peace between them. In such a situation, there is the need of peacemaking and of appeasing the father. This peacemaking, this appeasing, is propitiation.
As an aid to understanding the word propitiation in 2:2, it will be helpful to review what Paul says in Romans 3:25 regarding the propitiation-cover: “Whom God set forth a propitiation-cover through faith in His blood, for the showing forth of His righteousness in respect of the passing by of the sins that occurred before in the forbearance of God.” The Greek word for propitiation here is hilasterion. This word is different from hilasmos in 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10 and hilaskomai in Heb. 2:17. Hilasmos is “that which propitiates,” that is, a propitiatory sacrifice. In 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10 the Lord Jesus is the propitiatory sacrifice for our sins. Hilaskomai means “to appease, to reconcile one by satisfying the other’s demand,” that is, to propitiate. In Hebrews 2:17 the Lord Jesus makes propitiation for our sins to reconcile us to God by satisfying God’s righteous demands on us. But hilasterion is “the place of propitiation.” Therefore, in Hebrews 9:5 this word is used for the cover, the lid, of the ark (translated “mercy seat” in the King James Version) within the Holy of Holies. In Exo. 25:16-22 and Lev. 16:12-16, the Septuagint also uses this word for the cover of the ark. The law of the Ten Commandments was in the ark, exposing and condemning by its righteous requirement the sin of the people who came to contact God. By the lid of the ark with the atoning blood sprinkled upon it on the day of atonement, the whole situation on the sinner’s side was fully covered. Hence, it was upon this lid that God could meet with those who broke His righteous law without, governmentally, any contradiction of His righteousness, even under the observing of the cherubim that bore His glory overshadowing the lid of the ark. The propitiatory or expiatory sacrifice, which foreshadowed Christ, satisfied all the requirements of God’s righteousness and glory. As a result, God could pass by the people’s sin that occurred at that time. Furthermore, in order to show forth His righteousness, God had to do this. This is what is referred to in Romans 3:25. For this reason, Romans 3:25 uses the same word, hilasterion, to reveal that the Lord Jesus is the propitiation place, the propitiation-cover, whom God set forth for showing forth His righteousness by passing by the sins of the Old Testament saints, for, as the propitiatory sacrifice, He made the full propitiation on the cross for their sins and fully satisfied the requirements of God’s righteousness and glory.
The Lord Jesus Christ has offered Himself to God as a sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 9:28), not only for our redemption but also for God’s satisfaction. In Him as our Substitute, through His vicarious death, God is satisfied and appeased. Hence, Christ is the propitiation between God and us.
John says in 2:2 that Christ is the propitiation not only concerning our sins, but also concerning the whole world. The Lord Jesus as a propitiation concerning man’s sins is for the sins of the whole world. However, this propitiation is conditional upon man’s receiving it by believing in the Lord. Unbelievers do not experience its efficacy, not because it has any fault, but due to their unbelief.
